Croydon Highlights
Spring 2015
CROYDON HIGH SCHOOL Old Farleigh Road, Selsdon, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 8YB Tel: 020 8260 7500 Fax: 020 8260 7461 E-mail: info2@cry.gdst.net
Croydon High Girls Strut their Stuff at the Mayor’s Fashion Show
Welcome to the 2015 Spring Highlights W
hilst the girls enjoyed the recent snow and an opportunity to get out into our beautiful grounds and have some fun, I can’t deny that we are all happy to see the brighter mornings, light evenings and the various promises of Spring. The Autumn Term was absolutely packed with activity in all parts of the school and I hope you will enjoy reading about some of the girls’ many achievements in this issue of High-lights. It was wonderful to welcome so many friends of the school at our 140th Anniversary production at the Fairfield Halls in November. Parents, alumnae, ex-staff as well as ex-Head, Lorna Ogilvie, joined together to fill the Concert Hall and to witness a truly joyous celebration of all that makes our school unique. Staff had worked together to create a totally original production, charting the history of the school from 1874 to the present day, through music and drama. It was a vibrant and impressive performance, full of energy and fun. Many of the guests – myself included – admitted to feeling rather emotional as we watched these talented young women tell the story of the inspirational women who had come before them. It obviously sparked memories for many, who recalled traditions and events in which they had taken paert. Personally, I felt it represented perfectly what Croydon High has always been; a place of excellence, aspiration and traditions that we are proud to carry forward to new generations of girls. These values are always apparent in the many alumnae who support us in so many ways; whether it is giving generously of their time and expertise attending specific events, or supporting us financially through our Annual Fund appeal. I know a good number have volunteered to run seminars at our February Careers Masterclass Evening and together with members of the parent body, we have an impressive lineup of speakers coming in to talk to the girls about opportunities in a wide variety of careers. This is such an important area; it is an increasingly competitive world and we are determined to do all we can to prepare and support the girls to make informed choices for their future lives. We are most grateful to all those involved. We are always delighted to welcome visitors to the school and run regular Open Door events offering opportunities to see the school in action. There are some dates for your diary in this publication, and if you are interested in visiting us, or getting involved with the school in any area, please do not hesitate to contact us via the ivylink@cry.gdst.net address. With best wishes Debbie Leonard, Head
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NEW JUNIOR HEAD PRESENTS A CHALLENGE
n her first assembly at the beginning of the spring term, our new Junior Head, Mrs Bradshaw, showed the girls that she is more than ready to take on a challenge… but it certainly wasn’t the sort of challenge they were expecting! She started by sharing her New Year resolutions; to learn all the girls’ names, make every assembly interesting and drink more water! But then Mrs Raja, the new Deputy Head spoke up, challenging Mrs Bradshaw to make resolutions that will really stretch her, such as learning a new skill. To the delight of the girls, she presented Mrs Bradshaw with a skipping rope and a book of skipping tricks! Not to be outdone, Mrs Bradshaw responded with a gift for Mrs Raja – a set of juggling balls and the Head and Deputy then turned their attention to Mrs Cordrey who received a Diabolo set! The message wasn’t lost on the girls, as all three teachers agreed to accept their challenges and to return after half term to demonstrate their newly learned skills. In turn, Mrs Bradshaw challenged everyone to think about what they could do to set themselves exciting aims and ambitions for the coming year. Oh and by the way, Mrs Bradshaw also promises to learn all the girls’ names, make assemblies interesting and drink more water!
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THE MAYOR OF CROYDON’S FASHION SHOW
riday the 23rd of January, was the date for the much anticipated Mayor of Croydon’s fashion show. The fashion show was held in Braithwate Hall, Croydon. In this beautiful hall, our girls, and boys from Whitgift, showed off a range of outfits to represent the multicultural society that we are lucky enough to have in Croydon. We had a range of catwalks such as ‘childhood memories’, ‘Olympic catwalk’ and ‘Miss Universe’ and a performance of Asian dance. We also had items from Year 12 singers and even a belly dance! All this fun however was for a serious cause. The Mayor’s fashion show was in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care and Age UK. We are very proud to have raised money for such important charities which are close to home and can affect any of us. The evening was enjoyed by everyone and Croydon High feel honoured to have been able to put on such an event.
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THE ARTIST JASON BROOKS
was privileged to get the opportunity to meet the artist Jason Brooks. I first saw his portrait Paul Nurse (‘Paul’) in the National Portrait Gallery and was amazed by the huge scale and incredible amount of detail in the face. In my coursework, I am currently working on portraiture in a photorealist style so it was amazing to be able to talk to Jason Brooks about his work and processes. He discussed his techniques with me and I was fascinated how he included so much detail within his work, using both an airbrush and paintbrush. The idea is that in today’s society we see so many airbrushed images in magazines and therefore he is trying to capture everything within his portraits to show the sitters true personality. I have been fascinated by photorealism and hyperrealism over the last year and, as a result, I have been developing portraits of my family. Meeting Jason Brooks has been a fantastic opportunity for me. We discussed different techniques and processes and ways to develop work and I will definitely be using this to refine my work further and complete my 3000 word critical essay. Isabel Year 13
SUCCESS AT CHS
Congratulations to...
en nd Laur al a a n y a Alex , N d in the Region secon finished ning competition i Trampol
Freya and Flora have both been selected to play for the Kent U14 Hockey Team
Emma achieved Air Cadet First Aid Certificate, First Class Cadet Certificate, Sportsperson Award, Best Cadet Award and promoted to Corporal
Ysabel and Fariha received Highly Commended Awards at the Model UN debating conference
Tay selected for th e London Youth Games cros s country competition
Ellen’s ‘Unknown Soldier’ art work chosen by the Mayor of Croydon and the artist Helen Clark to be framed and exhibited at the Museum of Croydon
Eleanor won the Gold CREST Mathematics Aw ard
Julieta won the Marjorie Baldwin Bequest award for gaining the highest mark in Grade 7 piano in Croydon
Isabelle gained first place representing Great Britain at the Costa del Sol Equestrian Tour
CELEBRATING
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
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n Wednesday evening, 26th November, our school marked its 140th anniversary with a spectacular performance at Fairfield Halls, Croydon. As well as countless proud parents, the sell-out show was attended by large numbers of ex-pupils and ex-staff, including former Head Lorna Ogilvie. Dr Tim Miller, Chair of Council at the GDST and CEO Helen Fraser also joined us to mark this very special occasion. They were treated to a memorable night in every way; as the school’s Music and Drama departments combined to stage a production which charted the school’s journey from its founding in 1874, in North End, Croydon, to its second home in Wellesley Road (now the site of Apollo House) and then, in 1966, to its present home in Selsdon. From the first Head, Dorinda Neligan, a formidable character and active Suffragette, who believed passionately in opportunities for women, to our current Head, who is equally passionate about the aspirations of the girls in her care today, Croydon High School has a remarkable history. At the end of the show, Debbie Leonard raised a glass to toast the next 140 years and challenged the girls to go out and make that history by seizing the many opportunities available to them.
140 YEARS STAINED GLASS PROJECT
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he stained glass window project to commemorate the 140th anniversary is progressing well in both junior and senior schools. All the girls who were competition winners/highly commended are now working on the individual panels. We have 16 pupils involved in the making of this window, from Years 7-12. There are seven panels in total and they are all based on the pupils' designs. The girls are learning to mark out, cut and grind copper foil and solder glass pieces together. This process of making stained glass is called the copper foil method and has been used for about 150 years. It was most notably used in the work of Tiffany's lampshades during the Art Nouveau period. In the junior school girls have helped with the accurate measurements of both panels, which will be placed in the Reception area. They are now involved in “copper foiling� pieces of glass which will complete the final windows.
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KNOWING IVY
ur artist in residence, Janine Creaye, began lessons with the Year 7, 8 & 9 girls a month ago to create a sculpture, 'Knowing Ivy' that will mark Croydon High School's 140th anniversary. The sculpture will be permanent and girls from all year groups were encouraged to enter a competition to have some of their designs featured on the sculpture. Classes after school also enabled KS4 & 5 girls to work with the artist; the main materials used were wire and cement. 'Knowing Ivy' has now been put in place but Janine will be back to add the last of the ivy leaves and some finishing touches before our 140th sculpture is officially opened.
CONNECTING WITH INSPIRING FUTURES WITH MR GOVE
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n Wednesday 11th February, Aruchana, Ellen, Simran and I, accompanied Mrs Leonard to the House of Commons. We had been invited to attend a networking event run by Inspiring Futures, who provide careers guidance and advice for us at CHS. We were all very excited and especially enjoyed our ride in a taxi. Despite being in awe of our surroundings, we found the afternoon a very fulfilling experience. We had the opportunity to meet Head Teachers from other GDST schools such as Sheffield, who were interested in careers at Croydon High. We talked about how useful the Morrisby Tests were and how the following career interview with Inspiring Futures had helped us to choose the right career path. Mrs Leonard took a picture of us as we met Michael Gove and we also encountered other MPs, journalists and a producer from ITN. After the event, we were lucky enough to see a debate in the House of Commons about tax devaluation; this was very interesting as it gave us an insight into what issues were affecting our country at the moment and how topics are discussed. We would like to thank Inspiring Futures for giving us the chance to practise our networking skills. Rose Year 12
AND THE NEXT DAY...
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n Thursday 12th February before half term, the Year 12 politics group had the opportunity to attend a Conservative Party fund-raising evening in a Selsdon restaurant as part of our broader political education. The highlight of the evening was the appearance of Michael Gove, the Government Chief Whip and former Education Secretary. He was happy to sit down at our table and answer our questions on topics such as the rise of UKIP, gender inequality in the Third World, and a tough one about what he thinks the coalition will be most remembered for. Following his impressive speech, we followed up in the Q&A afterwards by asking him what he would do about the under-representation of women in the Commons, a problem close to our hearts as young women looking to venture into careers in politics. Mr Gove definitely seemed to be impressed by our political awareness, and told the assembled conservatives that we were some of the brightest young women he’d ever met and were the women of the future! We are now looking for some invites to the events of the other parties. Ysabel Year 12
POLITICIANS BORIS BACKS OUR CONFERENCE PLANS
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very year our Sixth Form hosts a conference on behalf of the National Council of Young Women, tackling important and often controversial subjects such as FGM and Trafficking. This year’s topic is Domestic Violence and the girls have called it Love Shouldn’t Hurt. The conference takes place on Wednesday 11th March from 2-5.15pm at the school here in Selsdon. All our Sixth Form girls attend and we invite local schools and also all the GDST schools around the country. Because of the nature of the subject matter this year, we felt it was important to include young men in the audience, so have invited local boys and co-ed schools as well. We also hope to welcome a delegation from the National Council of Women. The prefect team are working very hard on the agenda for the afternoon and Marketing Prefect Louisa Rowland was delighted to receive a letter from Mayor Boris Johnson, who regrettably cannot attend on the day but is offering us his full support.
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CHRISTMAS REUNION
n Wednesday 17th December we were delighted to welcome back girls who left the Sixth Form in the summer, plus this year we were joined by the class of 2011! Hot chocolate, cupcakes and a good catch up were the order of the occasion. For the class of 2014, it was a question of finding out about their first term out in the world and for the 2011s, discovering passed achievements and future plans. All the girls seem happy, and it was lovely to see them in such a familiar environment and obviously pleased to be back at school and with each other. Everyone is doing really well and it was touching to hear from several of the girls how much they miss their Croydon High family. We hope that they will remain in touch and continue to let us know how they are getting on. Once a Croydon High girl… always a Croydon High girl! We are still very proud of all of them.
ALUMNAE JUDGE DEBATE
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n Wednesday, 10th December, saw the running of the 2014-15 Senior Debating Final in a new venue of room 17 after school. There was a programme of three debates, all contested by teams from Years 11 and 12, and the standard of speaking was uniformly high. We were delighted to welcome back two former winners of the Monette Zard trophy (Monette donated the trophy when she left school in 1990) Rebecca Kerr and Roshni Fernando, and another distinguished former CHS debater, Isobel Ryan. They had a very difficult time deciding between six very evenly matched teams, but finally came down in favour of Fariha and Janisha, who opposed the motion ‘This House believes the UK needs more immigration, not less.’ A really enjoyable evening, and well done to all six teams.
NEWS DR EMMA COLWLINS (2008) RETURNS TO HER ALMA MATER
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n Wednesday, 28th January, 25 students from Year 9-13 piled into the student conference room to listen to Dr Emma Collins describe her journey from CHS to Manchester Royal Infirmary. Emma studied Chemistry, Biology, and German A levels and Maths AS. She enthusiastically imparted her words of encouragement and wisdom concerning the application process and her years at Bristol Medical School. During her six years training she spent a year in Germany; she also worked in a tribal hospital in India and a leprosy colony in Nepal. Now a doctor, she was also awarded a BSc in Cardiology. The girls asked many questions and are now, no doubt, better placed to be able to follow this career path if they choose to in the future. If anyone, parent, alumna or friend would like to lead a future careers seminar please contact Mrs Gower Head of Careers sgower@cry.gdst.net.
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OPEN DOORS
n Wednesday 11th February we held our termly Open Doors event for the alumnae community. Among the guests were two sisters, one visiting from France. They had left in the mid-60s and so had spent time at both schools. Open Doors is the perfect opportunity for ‘old girls’ to see the school in all its glorious action. Guests have often visited the school for events, but out of school hours, so this is a chance to meet some of the staff and pupils and observe lessons. After tea with Mrs Leonard
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CLASS OF 1986
form from the class of 1986 had a reunion lunch on Saturday 21st February at the Selsdon Park Hotel, after which they made their way to school for a tour. For the majority it was the first time they had returned to school since 1986. Many areas of the school have been developed and some are almost unrecognisable. Memories came flooding back and the girls even burst into song when visiting the music department. Each and every one was buzzing after the tour as they made their way back with their goody bags to the hotel for tea.
TRIPS
mas 2014 X y n a m r e G Berlin,
Besanรงon, Fren ch Exchange Feb 2015
Feb 2015 e g n a h c x E n Bonn, Germa
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Ivy Link Netball Challenge Saturday 18 April 2pm Open Day Wednesday 6 May Juniors 9.30am Seniors 6pm Ivy Link Tea Party (for all years prior to 1963) Thursday 7 May 3pm Summer Concert Tuesday 19 May 7pm Jazz Evening Friday 5 June 7pm Art Exhibition Wednesday 10 June 6pm Golf Day Friday 13 June 7.45am Ivy Link Summer Lunch Saturday 14 June 12.30pm Annie - School Production Thursday 25 & Friday 26 June 7pm
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he Ivy Link is a way of bringing together the alumnae, parents and other friends of our school. Whether you join to make new friends, to reconnect with old friends or just to keep in touch with what is happening, we hope that The Ivy Link will help you stay involved in the life of Croydon High School. Contact Karen Roe for more information ivylink@cry.gdst.net